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| 11/3/2009 1:47:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Honoring veterans
By Chad Koenen
When Harry Erickson and Bob Deaner arrived at Red River Valley High School on September 25, they knew they were about to embark on a special adventure. While the two World War II veterans had a general idea of what would be taking place over the next two days, the exact details of the trip was left mainly secret.
Flanked by more-than 80 volunteers, Erickson, Deaner, and approximately 100 WWII veterans departed Red River Valley High School in Grand Forks, N.D. with a police escort bound for Grand Forks Air Force Base. Just 36 hours later, Erickson and Deaner returned to Grand Forks, albeit a little tired, a little weary, but a whole lot stronger after getting a first-hand look at the recently constructed World War II monument in the heart of Washington, D.C.
"It was really impressive, it really is," said Erickson about the World War II monument.
The new monument, which was completed in 2004, is at the center of a new movement to provide free trips to able-bodied WWII veterans who have yet to see the memorial. With as many as 1,000 WWII veterans dying everyday, Erickson and Deaner said they are grateful to have been able to take advantage of the Honor Flight Program to get a first-hand look at the WWII monument and have an opportunity to tour Washington, D.C.
"(The Honor Flight Program volunteers) realize we are getting to the age where we are not going to be around much longer," said Deaner.
Based out of Grand Forks, the Northern Valley Honor Flight was planning a second trip to Washington, D.C. when a meeting at church between Erickson and Jackie Ranum, whose daughter volunteers at the NVHF, spurred the idea of local veterans travelling to the WWII monument. Following the meeting, Erickson said he began calling WWII veterans in the area to see who else was interested in making the trip to Washington, D.C.
"I called Deaner and he said 'ya that sounds like fun,'" said Erickson.
While Erickson had been to Washington, D.C. on a few occasions in the past, the September 25-26 Honor Flight gave Deaner an opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. for the very first time.
"I always wanted to go (to Washington, D.C.) but I never made it until now," he said.
After arriving in Washington, D.C. on September 25, Erickson said the group immediately went to the WWII Memorial where they met fellow WWII veteran Bob Dole, as well as Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota.
Despite being in Washington, D.C. for just over 30 hours, Erickson said "we saw every monument you could think of." In addition to the WWII monument, the group of veterans witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, toured the Kennedy family grave site, went to the Iwo Jima Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, as well as saw many of the other important monuments from afar while on a bus tour around the nation's capitol.
In addition to the tours, the group also had a special dinner on Friday evening at the Hyatt Regency Hotel which featured a mail call. During the mail call ceremony Deaner said he not only received mail from family members, friends, and local students, but also received letters from complete strangers thanking him for his service during WWII.
The following day, the whirlwind tour of Washington, D.C. came to a conclusion when the veterans visited the National Air and Space Museum. As part of the tour, the group received a personally guided tour with an up close look at a WWII aircraft that is housed in the museum. The tour was just one more way the group was treated in a respectful and honorable way during the trip.
"They treated us like royalty," said Deaner of the volunteers and people they met on the Honor Flight trip.
Erickson said the entire trip was something he will not soon forget.
"As far as I'm concerned it was tremendous," he said.
When the group arrived back in Grand Forks later on the evening of September 26, the hundreds of local residents, friends, and family members of the veterans were packed in the Red River High School Gym to watch the Honor Flight veterans receive their discharge papers. The ceremony featured music, a speech, and each veteran received papers officially dismissing them from the Honor Flight Trip.
A fitting way to conclude an unforgettable two-day tribute to all WWII veterans who are both living and dead.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
Judy Fernaays
Congratulations to these two Veterans. What an awsome opportunity and a great experience. Thank you for your service!
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